Phillies drubbed in Game 1, fall to Braves

Atlanta Braves' Tommy La Stella (7) celebrates with his teammates after he scored on a wild pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth inning of the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday. The Braves took Game 1, 10-3. (AP Photo)

PHILADELPHIA — After an energetic start, the same-old, same-old Phillies showed up Saturday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park.

An early two-run lead turned into a 10-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves and, on Photo Day, was a snapshot of a struggling season.

Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg didn’t entirely blame the defeat on first baseman Ryan Howard, whose back-to-back errors on ground balls in the fourth inning allowed two runs to score off starting and losing pitcher Roberto Hernandez. But Sandberg wouldn’t let his veteran off the hook.

“Having the early runs was a plus,” Sandberg said. “Hernandez was throwing the ball well and getting ground balls. A possible double-play ball and we’re out of the inning with another zero (on the scoreboard) up there. I mean, that changes the whole game.”

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Tony Gwynn Jr.’s triple and Howard’s RBI-single staked the Phillies to a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

The advantage grew to 2-0 when Hernandez, who threw seven strong innings, got his first RBI with a single to right scoring Koyie Hill, who doubled. Hill started in place of catcher Carlos Ruiz who is on the disabled list with a concussion.

But the Braves found a weak link in the Phillies’ defense as Howard was unable to field two of three consecutive ground balls, the errors enabling the Braves to knot the game at two.

“We have to play fundamental solid baseball,” Sandberg said. “That’s giving you a chance to win. Pitching and defense. You have to play the field. Make the defensive plays. Especially with our lack of putting a whole lot of numbers up on the board we have to tighten up on the defensive end of things.”

Justin Upton’s two-run double off the top of the center field wall staked the Braves to a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning.

It was all over when Antonio Bastardo took the ball for the Phillies in the eighth inning, as he was torched for three hits, walked two and was charged with five earned runs.

A wild pitch by Luis Garcia gave the Braves a 9-2 cushion. Chris Johnson’s second RBI, this one in the ninth inning, produced the final score.

It was the sixth loss in the last eight games for the Phillies (36-44, when the day began).

The Phillies had beaten the Braves in four of their last five meetings.

“Hernandez had better stuff and threw better than his line indicated,” Sandberg said. “The defense let him down in the fourth inning. And the bullpen let us down for the first time in quite a stretch. Bastardo had a couple of walks and three hits all put together.

“Two early runs for some early run support and then a couple of other chances with no timely hitting with some man on base in the seventh.”